Gillingham F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Gillingham Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Gills | ||
| Founded | 1893 (as "New Brompton") |
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| Ground | Priestfield Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 11,582 | ||
| Owner | Brad Galinson | ||
| Chairman | Brad Galinson | ||
| Manager | Mark Bonner | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2018–19 | League One, 13th of 24 | ||
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Gillingham Football Club is a professional association football team. They are based in Gillingham, Kent, England. The club is often called "The Gills" by fans. They play their home games at Priestfield Stadium. Gillingham is the only club from Kent in the Football League.
The team currently plays in League Two. This is the fourth level of English football. The club was started in 1893 as New Brompton Football Club. They changed their name to Gillingham Football Club in 1912.
Gillingham first played in the Southern League. They joined the Football League in 1920. After many seasons, they left the league in 1938. They returned to the Southern League. The club was voted back into the Football League in 1950. This happened when the league grew bigger.
In the late 1980s, Gillingham almost reached the second level of English football. But then their performance dropped. In 1993, they nearly fell out of the Football League entirely. Between 2000 and 2005, Gillingham played in the second level for the first time ever. Their best finish was eleventh place in the 2002–03 season.
The club first wore black and white striped shirts. They changed to blue shirts in the 1930s. The club's badge often shows the white horse symbol of Kent. Priestfield Stadium has always been their home ground. It used to hold 30,000 fans, but now it holds less than half that. The club has won the fourth level of English football twice. This was in the 1963–64 and 2012–13 seasons.
Contents
Club History
Starting Years
A local junior team, Chatham Excelsior F.C., was very successful. This made some business people want to create a bigger football club. New Brompton F.C. was formed at a meeting on May 18, 1893. New Brompton was a town next to Gillingham. The founders also bought the land that became Priestfield Stadium.
The new club played its first game on September 2, 1893. They lost 5–1 to Woolwich Arsenal's reserve team. About 2,000 people watched the game. New Brompton helped start the Southern League in 1894. They were put in Division Two. They won the championship in their first season (1894–95). They then beat Swindon Town to get promoted.
In the next few seasons, the club struggled in Division One. They finished last in the 1907–08 season. They avoided being moved down only because the league got bigger. Even though their league performance was tough, they had a famous cup win. They beat Football League First Division team Sunderland. They also drew with Manchester City before losing in a replay.
In 1912, the club decided to change its name to Gillingham F.C. The team played under this name in the 1912–13 season. The change was made official by the shareholders the next year. The team finished last in Division One in the 1919–20 season. For the third time, they avoided being moved down. This was because all Southern League Division One clubs joined the new Football League Division Three.
First Time in the Football League
In the first season of the new Football League Division Three, 1920–21, Gillingham finished last again. In the years that followed, they stayed near the bottom of the league. In 1938, the team finished last in the Third Division (South). They had to ask to be voted back into the league. This request failed. Gillingham went back to the Southern League. Ipswich Town took their place.
Gillingham quickly became one of the best teams in the Southern League. They won the Kent League and Kent Senior Cup in the 1945–46 season. In the 1946–47 season, the team won both the Southern League Cup and the Southern League championship. During this time, they had a club record 12–1 win over Gloucester City. The Gills also won the league title in 1948–49.
Back in the Football League
In 1950, the Football League Division Three (South) was set to grow. It would go from 22 to 24 teams. Because of their recent success, Gillingham was voted back into the Football League. They won by a huge number of votes. The team spent eight seasons in Division Three (South). Then, in the 1958–59 season, they were placed in the new Fourth Division.
They stayed in this division until 1964. Manager Freddie Cox led them to promotion. They won the club's first championship. The team finished with 60 points, tied with Carlisle United. But Gillingham had a slightly better goal average.
After going down to the Fourth Division in 1970–71, the Gills were soon promoted again. They went back to the Third Division in the 1973–74 season. After this, the club often tried to get promoted from Division Three. They came very close in 1986–87. They reached the play-offs final but lost to Swindon Town. During this time, players like Steve Bruce and Tony Cascarino became stars. Cascarino was famously bought for a set of tracksuits!
In 1987, the Gills made headlines. On two Saturdays in a row, they won big. They beat Southend United 8–1. Then they beat Chesterfield 10–0. The 10–0 win was a club record for a Football League match. However, manager Keith Peacock was soon fired. Within 18 months, the club dropped to Division Four. The time in the lower division was not very successful. In the 1992–93 season, the Gills barely avoided falling out of the Football League.
Recent Ups and Downs
The club faced financial difficulties. In January 1995, they went into administration. By the end of the 1994–95 season, they were at risk of being removed from the Football League. But in June 1995, a businessman named Paul Scally bought the club. He brought in a new manager, Tony Pulis. Pulis led Gillingham to promotion in his first season. They finished second in the old Division Three.
In 1999, the Gills reached the play-offs again. They lost in the final to Manchester City. Gillingham was winning 2–0 with less than two minutes left. But City scored twice, including a goal in injury time. City then won 3–1 in a penalty shoot-out. Soon after this loss, Pulis was fired. Peter Taylor became the new manager.
In the 1999–00 season, Gillingham made the play-offs again. They played Wigan Athletic in the final at Wembley Stadium. The game was 1–1 after 90 minutes. But goals in extra time from Steve Butler and Andy Thomson gave the Gills a 3–2 win. They were promoted to Division One for the first time ever!
Taylor then left to manage Leicester City. Andy Hessenthaler became player-manager. He led the club to their best league finish ever, eleventh place, in the 2002–03 season. But the next season, the club barely avoided being moved down. Hessenthaler resigned in November 2004. The new boss, Stan Ternent, could not stop the Gills from being moved down to League One.
At the end of the 2007–08 season, the club was moved down again to League Two. But they quickly returned to the third level. They won the play-offs, beating Shrewsbury Town in the final. However, in the 2009–10 season, the Gills dropped back to League Two. They failed to win any away games that season. Manager Mark Stimson was fired. Andy Hessenthaler became manager for a second time.
At the start of the 2012–13 season, Martin Allen replaced Hessenthaler. Allen led the club to promotion as League Two champions in his first season. But he was surprisingly fired soon after a poor start to the next season. The club stayed in League One from 2013 until 2022. Their best finish was ninth in the 2015–16 season. In the 2021–22 season, Gillingham was moved down to League Two again.
In December 2022, Brad Galinson bought most of the club. Paul Scally kept a small share. In January 2023, Galinson also became the Chairman.
Stadium Information
The Gills have always played at Priestfield Stadium. The club's founders bought the land by selling shares. It's not clear if the stadium was named after Priestfield Road, or if the road was named after the stadium. The ground was improved a lot before the 1930s. Then, not much changed until the late 1990s. This was when Paul Scally became chairman.
Three of the four stands were knocked down and rebuilt between 1995 and 2000. The fourth stand, called the Town End, was also knocked down. A new stand was planned to be named after TV sports commentator Brian Moore. He was a well-known Gills fan. But the club's money problems stopped the new stand from being built. A temporary stand was put up in 2003 and is still there today.
From 2007 to 2010, the stadium was called KRBS Priestfield Stadium. This was part of a sponsorship deal. In 2011, it was renamed MEMS Priestfield Stadium for another deal.
At its busiest in the 1940s, the stadium could hold "between 25,000 and 30,000" fans. But changes and new facilities have reduced this. The current capacity is 11,582. In the 2018–19 season, the average number of fans at home games was 5,128. The stadium has also hosted games for the England women's national football team. The club's training ground is Beechings Cross in Gillingham.
Team Colours and Crest
Gillingham is known for its blue and white colours. But the first New Brompton team wore black and white striped shirts with black shorts. In 1913, they changed to red shirts with blue sleeves. These shirts had the town's coat of arms. The striped shirts came back after World War One. Then, in 1931, they changed to the blue shirts and white shorts we know today.
In recent years, there have been different blue and white designs. In the late 1990s, the team wore blue and black striped shirts. This was a nod to the original New Brompton stripes. In 2003, it was announced that the main shirts would be mostly white. Fans did not like this idea. So, the white strip was replaced with blue and black hoops. These had been planned as the third choice kit.
In March 2010, the club said they would return to black and blue stripes for the 2010–11 season. For the 100-year anniversary of the club's renaming, the 2012–13 kit was red with blue sleeves. The club's crest was replaced by the town's crest. After winning the League Two title in 2012–13, fans voted for the 2013–14 kit colours. They chose to go back to blue and white. Blue and white, or blue with black stripes, have been used since.
The club's current crest is a shield. It is split into black and white stripes on one side and solid blue on the other. This shows the club's old and new kits. On the blue side is the symbol of Kent, a white horse. The horse's mane is shaped like the letters "Gills." This side sometimes has a red or pink background to match away kits.
The club's motto is Domus clamantium. This is Latin for "the home of the shouting men." This is a traditional nickname for Gillingham town. The club's mascot, Tommy Trewblu, is a horse. He first appeared at a match in October 1998.
The first sponsor on Gillingham shirts was Zanussi, a home appliance company, in the mid-1980s. Other sponsors have included Chatham Maritime, Medway Toyota, and Medway Council.
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Past Players
Club Officials
As of 15 November 2024
Management Team
| Position | Name |
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| Chairman/Owner | Brad Galinson |
| Board of Directors | Brad Galinson, Shannon Hogan Galinson |
Club Managers
For the first three years, a committee managed the team. In 1896, William Ironside Groombridge, the club's secretary, became Gillingham's first official manager. Former England player Stephen Smith was manager from 1906 to 1908. Groombridge then took charge again. He was involved with the club for over 25 years.
When the club joined the Football League in 1920, Robert Brown was named manager. But he quit a month later. His replacement, Scotsman John McMillan, was the first manager for a Football League match.
In 1939, Archie Clark became manager. He was still in charge when the club rejoined the Football League in 1950. Clark stayed until 1957. Freddie Cox took over in 1962. He led the club to win the Football League Fourth Division championship in the 1963–64 season. This was the first time a manager won a Football League title with the club.
Basil Hayward was fired in 1971 after the club was moved down. But his replacement, Andy Nelson, led the club to promotion back to Division Three three years later.
Tony Pulis became manager in 1995. Gillingham was in the bottom division. He led the club to promotion in his first season. Three years later, he took the team to the Second Division play-off final. But he was fired right after for bad conduct. Peter Taylor replaced him. He led the club to a second play-off final in a row. Gillingham won and was promoted to the second level of English football for the first time.
In 2013, Martin Allen became the second manager to win a Football League title with the Gills. The team won the championship of League Two.
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Second Division (level 3)
- Play-off winners: 2000
- Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4)
- Champions: 1963–64, 2012–13
- Runners-up: 1973–74, 1995–96
- Play-off winners: 2009
- Southern League
- Champions: 1946–47, 1948–49
- Runners-up 1947–48
- Southern League Division Two
- Champions: 1894–95
- Kent League
- Champions: 1945–46
- United League
- Champions: 1908–09
- Thames & Medway Combination
- Champions: 1898–99, 1899–1900
Cup Wins
- Southern League Cup
- Winners: 1946–47
- Kent League Cup
- Winners: 1945–46
- Kent Senior Cup
- Winners: 1945–46, 1947–48
- Runners-up (5): 1938–39, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1994–95, 2014–15
Facts and Records
Goalkeeper Ron Hillyard has played the most games for Gillingham. He played 657 matches between 1974 and 1990. Another goalkeeper, John Simpson, holds the record for most Football League appearances. He played 571 games between 1957 and 1972.
Brian Yeo is the club's top league goalscorer of all time. He scored 136 goals from 1963 to 1975. He also shares the record for most Football League goals in one season, with 31 goals in 1973–74. This matched Ernie Morgan's record from 1954–55.
The most goals scored by a player in one professional game is six. Fred Cheesmur scored these against Merthyr Town in April 1930. The highest amount of money the club has received for a player is £1.5 million. This was for Robert Taylor when he moved to Manchester City in 1999. The most Gillingham has paid for a player is £600,000 for Carl Asaba in 1998.
The club's record for home attendance is 23,002. This was for an FA Cup match against Queens Park Rangers in January 1948. This record will likely never be broken at Priestfield Stadium. The stadium's current capacity is about half that. The team's biggest professional win was 10–0 against Chesterfield in September 1987. They also won 12–1 against Gloucester City in the Southern League in November 1946.
The Gills hold a record for the fewest goals given up in a 46-game Football League season. This happened in the 1995–96 season. Goalkeeper Jim Stannard did not let any goals in for 29 games that season.
Club Rivalries
A survey in 2003 showed that other teams don't see Gillingham as a main rival. Millwall is considered the closest local rival for the Gills. Many fans see Swindon Town as the club's biggest rival. This comes from some heated matches in the past. Swindon fans generally don't see Gillingham as a top rival. But there was violence when they met at Priestfield in the 2005–06 season. This was their first game since a play-off match in 1987.
After their promotion in 1989, Maidstone United became Kent's second League team. A rivalry with Gillingham grew over the next few seasons. But Maidstone had money problems and left the League in 1992. A small rivalry between Gillingham and Fulham started. This was after a Fulham fan died during a fight between fans outside Priestfield Stadium in March 1998.
Images for kids
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Local alderman James Barnes was an early chairman of the club
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Paul Scally (holding trophy) was the club's chairman from 1995 until 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Gillingham Football Club para niños
- Brian Moore's Head Looks Uncannily Like London Planetarium – a fanzine (fan magazine) about the club. It was named after football commentator Brian Moore, who was a Gillingham supporter.
- Chatham Town WFC – a women's football club that used to be connected to Gillingham F.C.
